So far, yet so close - The Comparative Analysis of Musical and Sports Talents

Abstract

Positive psychology, which seeks to understand well-being and its most prominent research area, the study of the flow experience (Seligman, 2012; based on Goschi et al., 2022), has gained worldwide recognition. According to recent research (Nagy, 2019), well-being has significant genetic and personality determinants, just as it is in Gagné's dynamic talent model, which is the theoretical basis of our study. Music and sport, although two separate and distinct fields, can be characterised with several common attributes. We studied young people with musical and sporting talents along the catalysts and flow experience of the model, with the aim of comparing the two domains. Research usually focus on these areas separately, even without deep comparisons of the manifestation of pedagogical and psychological phenomena in these fields. To compare the two domains, we aimed to investigate students learning at secondary level talented in music and sport along with the catalysts and flow experience based on Gagné’s model, which serves as the novelty since dormant talents in music and sport have not yet been studied in parallel in this age group in Hungary. Our qualitative preliminary research was based on semi-structured interviews with two individuals with outstanding talents in both music and sport and the professionals working with them (N=6). The results were analysed using Atlas.ti 7 text analysis software. Based on the correlations obtained, we designed our own online research questionnaire, where secondary school students (N=198) talented in music and sport learning in the North Great Plain region were involved. The results point the crucial role of the family as an external catalyst in the development of talent, strongly correlating with the previous research results. Regarding the flow experience as a motivational factor, we could see that flow experience is significantly present in both domains, with gender differences in favour of girls (59%) in the music domain. Concerning the interpersonal factors in the pilot study, a strong correlation could be seen between mental toughness and perseverance in the two domains. Overall, our results highlight the relevance of the family as an external catalyst in Gagné’s model of talent with the potential of strengthening or weakening the motivation derived from interpersonal traits and the flow, which is also a common feature of both domains. The current research provides us with an appropriate basis to extend this research to Central Europe.